Kisame's Legacy
by FeralQueen
Summary: Aya pursues her father after her mother's death, uncertain whether he can be trusted since he abandoned her mother in the past. Unfortunately, this is the least of her problems when she encounters an accomplice who will capture her heart. OCxDEIDARA.
1. The Rogue

**THE ROGUE**

"_Mommy, I wanna be a ninja and protect the Mist like all the other shinobi in the village," I said excitedly upon returning home after witnessing the grandeur of a shinobi ceremony in the village center._

"_SHUT UP! Don't you ever say that again!" My mother screamed at me, slapping me hard across the face. I held my pale cheek, now red and stinging from the impact. She was drunk again. Why wasn't I surprised? "Only a fool becomes a shinobi. Only a fool would throw her life away for _nothing_!"_

_Tears welled up in my eyes as I held my smarting cheek. She was always like this when she drank; I hated it. She insulted the one thing I truly wanted to do with my life. I wanted to be a great kunoichi more than anything._

I didn't know what it meant to be a shinobi back then; I was six years old. How could I know at that age? I didn't see the pain in my mother's eyes. If I had, I could have done something about it. I could have persuaded her to forsake our life in the village and start anew in a foreign land. Hell, I would have done anything to see her eyes shine again.

It is too late for that fantasy now. I am fleeing my home, Kirigakure, not for a casual change in scenery but as a rogue ninja, someone who was once a respected jonin amongst her peers.

I sprint through the branches of the forest leading away from the village with my mother's lifeless body cemented in my arms. My black cloak is soaking with blood, and the sweat is nearly drenching the rest of my body as well. The pounding of my heart beats like a war drum, resonating throughout me. _Damn you, Daisuke. _

"_I know what you must be thinking and feeling, Aya, but everyone was partying and drinking. They were having a good time. That was an accident. Everyone involved are partially to blame. Those men were honorable and highly thought of in the village, but their part won't not go unpunished. They will be suspended from duty for a time. You need some time to take this all in, I know. Let someone be your support in this time of loss."_

I couldn't but help think back.

You were wrong, Daisuke-sensei. I didn't think about anything when I saw my mother's limp body raped and beaten while four drunken shinobi stood off to the side, feigning remorse. It was then time had stopped, and my mind blanked . Only when I found myself covered in the blood of murderers did time move again. I don't even remember what happened.

But you were my beloved sensei; why had you not protected me? Why did you betray me? Why did you defend those animals?

"_What have you _done_, Aya? You should never have taken this into your own hands! You will be imprisoned!"_

Your words fell on deaf ears, Sensei. I can no longer follow your lead; I will not let anyone else hurt my family, small and fragile as it was. I'm going to take my mother away from the origin of her pain, the place that I had loved for so long.

My mind is still numb. I do not know where I am going. I am simply moving. If I stop, my mind will have time to grasp what transpired tonight. No, I cannot stop yet. I do not want to feel anything. I tell myself this for what seems like days when in reality only a couple of hours have past. The exhaustion kicks in and spreads like disease throughout my entire body.

At long last, I give into the physical weakness and collapse nearby a lake in a forest clearing teeming with violet water lilies. So this is where my body takes me, I think to myself_. _The lake my mother and I had visited when I was a child. I always remember her with dark brown tresses flowing in the spring breeze, and the flower I picked adorning them; she had a soft smile that made every feature about her glow.

"_Aya, look at the pink one!"_

A voice from the past brings me hurtling back to reality. I glance down at my mother's body in my arms. Her beauty is distorted with dirt and blood smudges. A piercing pain shoots through my chest at the sight. I clutch my breast to try and tame it. It is no use. It won't stop. My breathing becomes heavy and rigid as I futilely grasp for my sanity.

_Aya. _Mother. _My little angel. _Mother. _I am so proud of you, Aya. _Mother. _I should never have doubted you._

"MOTHER!" I scream in torment, unconsciously grabbing a fist of hair. Tears flow freely down my grief-stricken face. No physical pain I have ever received as a shinobi could ever compare to this: the darkest breed of despair. I cling to her body, trembling, and continue to sob. "Don't leave me!"

The unintelligible mumblings of my hysteria progresses. I am not certain how much time passes like that. I just know that I gradually begin to move again. After cleaning my mother's corpse in the lake, I dig her a makeshift grave under the most prominent sakura tree, dropping a water lily onto her before saying good-bye forever. My life as a rogue shinobi begins. I have no clue as to what I should do now, Mother.

"_Aya, I need to tell you something," my mother said after seeing my pitiful attempt at hiding my disappointment. I had been promoted to genin. Everyone's parents had been at the ceremony. Mothers and fathers. But where was my father? Mother never talked about him. I never met him. Was he dead? "I want to tell you about your father."_

_I was all ears; my dejected mood suddenly lightening. I nodded and sat on the sofa next to her in our living room. "Okay."_

"_I am sorry but I feel you should keep this to yourself. If others find out, it could cause you heartache, Aya. You understand?" I nodded my head to let her know I understood. She revealed the truth about my father._

Never had I expected it to be _that_. My father. He turned out to be the opposite of everything I had expected. It would have been better that he had died a noble death. That is not the case. My father turned out to be a criminal, one who wrought treachery upon his village and fled as an outcast, abandoning my mother in the process. He is a despicable person.

She fought in his defense, saying they were in love and that he made a mistake. She didn't have the chance to tell him she was pregnant with his child, and as a rogue, he wasn't allowed return to the village. She called it unfortunate; I called it cowardice. Still, peoples' opinions change. Things are a bit different now. I didn't know becoming rogue is a _hereditary trait_.

I don't know if it's for the best, but I will find this man who is my father. I will find him and make him acknowledge me by any means necessary. After all, he has a right to know about the child he helped create and see who she has become. I _will_ find him. A man now known to be part of one of the deadliest organizations of shinobi today. A man known as…Hoshigaki Kisame.


	2. Pursuit of Death

Six months now and still no leads on my father. Well, it's not as if I could walk up to anyone and say, 'Hey, I'm looking for the rogue ninja known as Hoshigaki Kisame. Have you seen him by any chance?' As if. Taking my time my be the wisest approach, anyway. I need time to gather myself, to heal. Not that this has been an easy process, but I am managing somehow. On the other hand, surprisingly, I have yet to hear any talk about a new rogue from Kirigakure. This does not mean I am going to let my guard down, though.

I stroll casually around in a small, self-sufficient village on the outskirts of the Land of Earth wearing a simple blue kimono as to not draw to much attention to myself. This is not a shinobi village, and few ever pass through here from what I have gathered, but one can never be too careful. Anbu might be waiting for me in the shadows, waiting for me to make a mistake, and reveal myself by drawing too much attention.

My stomach lets out a low growl and a pang, so I quickly head to a dango stand close by. I need a breather anyway. I might as well treat myself.

The old man, that I assume is the shopkeeper, gives a warm smile as I sit down in the stand.

"Hello, young lady. I haven't seen you around before. You new to our village?" he greets.

I return his greeting with a sweet smile.

"That is correct, Ojisan. I only just arrived a few hours ago. I have been doing some traveling lately."

He nods pleasantly. "We don't get many travelers here, being so isolated. It's nice to see new faces every once in a while. Well I suppose you came here for some dangos, didn't you? Not the ramblings of some old man."

"I don't mind," I say with the same warm smile, "One serving of dangos, please."

He turns away to prepare the dangos while another man enters the stand, a rather rough-looking man with scruffy black hair. He sits down next to me. I immediately avert my eyes when our eyes make contact.

"Make that two servings of dangos, Seiji-san," the man says cheerfully, taking a sip from a silver canteen in his hand as I hear the old shopkeeper laugh and greet the newcomer. He seems to be well built for an older man; his hands are callused like that of someone who does a lot of physical labor, perhaps a carpenter. He seems friendly enough. I catch him staring over at me and once again avert my gaze. He replies to this with a soft chuckle. "Gomen, onna-san. Your beauty is captivating. I find it difficult not to stare. Heard you talking to Seiji-san just now. What did you say your name was?"

"I didn't, actually," I say, much harsher than I intended, so I force another smile and add, "but it is Kaori, Toyota Kaori."

"That's a pretty name," he says laughing hardheartedly. "So you say your traveling, huh?"

"That's right," I reply.

"It is nice to get out and see the world. I am a carpenter, so I often travel to different places. See a lot of amazing things…and a lot of bizarre things. In any case, I would steer clear of just 30 miles west of here," he says, a hint of sternness to his tone.

"Oh. Isn't that where Iwagakure is located?"

"Yeah, there were rumors that some rogue ninjas were spotted passing through that area heading west. Horrible men that haunt your dreams with a mere look if you can even escape with your life after glimpsing their faces. I just got back to the village myself. I had a building contract in Iwagakure. Either way, it's best to avoid trouble on your journey, especially for a young woman such as yourself…there are worse things out there to get you than tipsy old carpenters like me."

He laughs cheerfully again, quickly returning the mood back to a lighter one, but he piqued my interest.

"Oji-san-"

"Call me Jin." I nod.

"Jin-san, no offense but carpenters are known for their extravagant and often exaggerated tales. I hear them all the time. Some would have me believe ghosts were eating travelers in the forests, so it may not come as a surprise that I get these stories often. You can't scare me away so easily, _ya know_." I keep my tone playful even though I speak the truth to him.

"Hmmmm, I heard the rumor from several people…and on top of that, some of the higher rank shinobi claim they were from the Akatsuki. The Akatsuki are no ghost story fabricated by creative old men."

"_Akatsuki?"_

"Yeah, heard of them have you?" I nod, trying to hide any emotion on my face, albeit unsuccessfully. Akatsuki? Could it be I have finally found a lead? And the rogues who were spotted, perhaps _he _was among them. "The Hidden Villages seem to be quite occupied with that organization right now. They seem to be causing a lot of trouble. If they were smart, they'd avoid the Akatsuki. It is foolish to pursue people that dangerous. The pursuit of the Akatsuki is the pursuit of death itself."

_Pursuit of death, huh?_

"Jin-san, don't worry the poor lady about troubles of the Hidden Villages. I'm sure she won't have any problems where that's concerned," the shopkeeper says, emerging from his shop and placing our food before us. The sweet aroma wafting up to fill my nostrils tugs at my stomach, but my mind is in a frenzy at finally finding a lead. I can't just get up and leave this second. No, that would be too suspicious. I don't know who could be waiting for me to make that mistake. A single comment from a curious traveler to a tracker shinobi could put them hot on my trail. I don't need to stand out.

"I suppose you're right," he replies, diving into his dangos. I do likewise.

"Actually, that is rather interesting, Jin-san. Have they managed to pursue them successfully?" I ask in between bites.

"I don't now much else on the subject. The shinobi of the hidden villages don't like to give out much information. They fear it may cause a panic."

"So no word on which Akatsuki members were in the area?"

"None that I heard, but any one of them is trouble by himself." I continue to chat casually with the two men for a brief time before making my discreet departure, adrenaline pumping through me. Jitters fill to the rim. _Finally…_

While in sight of the shop, I head east outside the village to throw off any suspicion. I quickly change into a more suitable wardrobe consisting of black cargo pants, halter top, and boots and double back towards the direction the Akatsuki was rumored to have traveled. If I hurry, I can make it to Iwagakure in three hours on foot. Hopefully, they haven't managed to get too far ahead of me. But what am I going to do if I catch up with them? Casually chat them up and ask to travel with them? 'Hey, just checking out the scenery, mind if I join you?' I mentally slap myself for being so silly. At worst I will probably end up dead, killed in the worst way possible. I need to have a plan, but each one I think of sounds more ridiculous than the last.

"Get a hold of yourself, Aya," I say out loud to myself as I sprint through the forest, opting to take the ground rather than the treetops after entering the forest. I don't need to be distracted right now. Everything is vital. Every detail. Every sense. _I am a rogue now_. I keep repeating that to myself. Everyone is a possible threat. I need to find _him_ as soon as possible. There is no more time for lollygagging. It is a time for action. He is my hope for life as a rogue; he can teach me his ways. Do I even want that? I have next to nothing to go on as far as his personality is concerned, all of it being dated back to nearly eighteen years ago. He might truly be a monster at heart. Would I want to follow someone like that? A man who left my mother?

I once saw an old photo of him in the bingo book of our village along with his profile. I can't say I take after him much as far as looks go, and I am sure his skills could obliterate mine in a heartbeat. He is primarily a water style user, as are most shinobi from Kirigakure. I, however, am also fairly adept with wind style.

My mind wanders back to the jutsu I used to kill the ninja who murdered my mother. The jutsu I could have yet refused to use on my former sensei to get away quicker. My sensei who would have thrown me into prison on murder charges. Had I chosen to fight him then, I may have not made it out of the village, and I refuse to spend any time in a cage for giving scum what they deserved.

Now that I reflect on my life, I deceived myself over and over again. The villagers had always looked down their noses at my mother for how she had become over the years. She was a broken geisha whose addiction to alcohol only seemed to worsen as time passed. People shunned her for being a single mother, and in extension, they shunned me for being her daughter. My ambitions as a shinobi have always held my hopes of bringing honor to my family, and I actually thought that the villagers had begun to accept me. On the surface, it seemed that way, or maybe it is what I had wanted to believe. They never truly accepted either of us. They could care less what happened to either of us; what happened is proof of that. So be it. My mother is gone and I will spend not a single second more of my life protecting a village of ingrates and hypocrites.

The following time I spend trying to clear my head, making myself a part of my surroundings as much as I can. The wind whips through my dark brown tresses, my heart leaping in anticipation. I must be insane…but…I want this. I do. _"The pursuit of the Akatsuki is the pursuit of death itself."_

After an hour of running, I begin to hear faint voices and stop dead in my tracks. Moving in to stealth mode, I creep closer to the direction the voices are coming from. Are they travelers? Ninja? Within a few minutes the voices grow louder, and I notice two figures at a distance standing still in the forest. I quickly crouch behind a large tree and steal a look to try and make out who they are.

"It seems they've given up hunting us, Sasori no Danna, un," one of them, a man with long blonde hair visible beneath a straw hat, says. He sounds rather amused about something. _Hunting? _Both of them are wearing long, black cloaks emblazoned with red clouds and a straw hat concealing most of their faces.

"I suppose our diversion has led them off track as planned," the other man replies in a tired voice. "It would be a bother to keep Leader-sama waiting."

Wait. Their cloaks. Black. Red clouds. Then that means…_Akatsuki!_ I have to-! No, stop, calm down, breath. Could that other man be _him_? No, that man isn't tall enough to match his description, but I can't get a good look at his face. Why are they here? Weren't they headed west. Unless…

"I don't think the ones hunting us will be following any time soon, un. They'll have to put them back together first." The man laughs at his statement.

"We need to keep moving. This is no time to be taking breaks."

"I know, un," the first man replies, annoyed. They are headed at an angle from my position, so it shouldn't put me at risk of getting caught to change my location. I need to follow them. They can lead me to my father. I summon all my courage and tail them at a distance, careful not to give away my presence. It doesn't work.

"How irritating. It seems we've missed one."

"What are you going on about, un?" the first man replies, turning to his partner.

"Don't be so careless, brat!" The second man snaps, "It appears we have a visitor."

WHAT? There is no way he could have heard me; I took absolute care not to reveal my location. My heart pounds in my chest as I withdraw back behind a tree. No way. Is someone else out here?

Perhaps…Perspiration starts to collect on my face as I chance another look in their direction. _Keep it together_. I need to keep an eye on them. This is my first real chance at finding my father…What the _hell_?

A lump of fear forms in my throat. The second man who spoke is still where he was a second ago, but the other,…the other is no where in sight. Where the hell did he go? This one doesn't seem to be alarmed or worried. Is that a good sign? Bad? Stop panicking. He can't get close to me without me knowing. And still…

"Hey, un." My heart skips a beat at the sound of a male voice directly behind me. How did he-? I hastily spin around, drawing a kunai from my ninja tool pouch. I meet a set of dark blue eyes belonging to the long, blonde haired man. A menacing grin forms on his face upon viewing my reaction. The kunai before me is trembling rapidly. No…I am trembling. _I'm trembling, and he is smiling_. He's seriously going to _kill_ me! "You seem to be lost, un."


	3. The Bomb Terrorist and the Red Sand

**THE BOMB TERRORIST AND THE RED SAND**

My body freezes in place in utter betrayal of what I really want it to do. I never break eye contact with the man as another presence emerges from behind the same tree my back is currently pressed tightly against. _Damn it, move, or they are going to kill you! _My mental command is not heeded, sending panic in the form of tremors throughout my entire body.

The blonde stares back at me with a fierce intensity. Long tresses of hair nearly seclude one of his eyes from view. "Who might you be?" he questions with a hint of amusement. I gulp down the lump in my throat, hands slick against the kunai in my hand. It doesn't seem to phase them one bit that I am holding it while they stand there this close to me. Either they are careless or they are confident I'm not going to be able to hurt them even if I try. From the way I see it, I'm betting on the latter.

"I-I'm, uh, um…" I mumble incoherently. What is wrong with me? I am a jonin, and yet these two have me shivering like a scared _child_.

"Deidara, let's not waste anymore time on unnecessary distractions. Hurry up and finish it so we can be on our way," the second man from before says unenthusiastically.

"C'mon Sasori no Danna, I don't think she's from Iwagakure, un. She is no threat to us. You scared of this young girl, un?"

"SHE IS A NINJA, YOU CLUELESS BRAT! We don't need to leave behind any lose ends!" The man named Sasori shouts. I finally turn my gaze slightly to look at him. He has short, choppy red hair and dark brown eyes that look as if he can stare me dead if he wanted to. He is a few centimeters shy of the one before me, but something tells me he is probably a whole hell of a lot stronger.

The blonde known as Deidara takes a few steps towards me; my body tenses, awaiting his attack. "Why were you following us, un?"

"Stay back away from me!" A stupid smirk appears on his face followed by amused snickering. I even think a smirk crosses Sasori's features.

"Why don't you put that down before you hurt yourself, un? Little girls shouldn't play with sharp things." My anger boils at his words and slowly my trembling body steadies. Snap out of it, I tell myself, quit letting these thugs belittle you!

"Your smile is really pissing me off, ya know? Why don't you wipe that fucking sneer of your face," I begin in a threatening tone, "before I do it for you?" I lung at him with fierce determination, but just barely miss him as he ducks out of the way. I pivot around as he takes a battle stance next to his partner. What am I doing?

"This one has some fight in her after all, Sasori no Danna." _Sasori, Sasori of the Red Sand._ A rogue ninja from Sunagakure who specializes in the puppet master jutsu. Then the other one is…the bomb terrorist from Iwagakure. Both of them are forces to be reckoned with. I shouldn't be trying to fight them; I should be trying to reason with them so I can find _him_.

DEIDARA'S POV

The young woman before me is exquisite, I dare say work of art. Long, dark brown tresses flow down her shoulders, molding to her curvaceous figure. My gaze scours every inch of her. Perspiration dripping from her body makes her attire stick to her erotically. She has a beautiful, surreal face and her cyan eyes hold a fierce determination beneath that shell of fear emanating from her. And there is something else just beneath that…sorrow.

This won't end well if Sasori no Danna has his way. He won't show her mercy. I usually would not care, but something about her, something I saw in her eyes drew me in. Of course, I could blame it on a seriously deprived sex life I have been having lately, too. It could not hurt to have a hostage just this once…shivering in fear and futile defiance beneath me.

"Hey, onna," I say, grabbing her attention, "I asked why you were following us, un. You should answer me. Sasori no Danna doesn't like to be kept waiting, un." Her trembling has ceased and a more lethal aura has begun to surround her, yet still her movements are hesitant. "Hey, _onn-_"

"It's Aya!" She says matter-of-factly. So her stuttering has vanished, as well. "And I…I came to serve the Akatuski, ya know!

"You came to serve the Akatsuki? Don't make me laugh. More like you were sent to spy on the Akatsuki and this is the first pathetic excuse you can come up with now that you've been caught," Sasori says, tone dripping with malice. Why the hell would someone _want _to serve anyone? I have to agree with Sasori no Danna that it does not make any sense. If given the choice, _I_ wouldn't be in the Akatsuki. "I think it's time I put an end to your distraction. If you're not going to help, Deidara, stay out of my way."

I suck my teeth in annoyance. If I let this continue, Sasori no Danna _will_ destroy her. Whether or not she is telling the truth will matter little to him. I don't want him to kill her…I _need_ her. This woman has an aura about her unlike any I've come across before. She has the same free flowing spirit about her that I had when I was younger, before everything had the potential to become my art. Heh, I must be getting soft. I won't go against my danna, but I _can_ do one thing…

AYA'S POV

What was I thinking, blurting that out? It is not as if I had any other options, though, and it is the first thing that came to mind. _Serve the Akatsuki? _Where do my thoughts come from, anyway? The "World's Worst Pitch Lines For Criminals"? This Sasori character is going to be a tough nut to crack. And the other…I do not know what to make of him. He does not seem as menacing as the other one and seems in favor of leaving me without a fight. "I think it's time I put an end to your distraction. If you're not going to help, Deidara, stay out of my way."

Damn, he is honestly planning my demise any second. I need to get my head screwed on straight. In sequence with my thoughts, Sasori whips out a ninja scroll in one hand without another word. I focus on him and ready myself for his next move. Fine, I will fight you, Sasori…_This can't be good._

Before Sasori or I make another move, a blunt pain shoots through my abdomen.

"Nngh!" My breath leaves me in one foul swipe. I fly backwards through the air, smashing onto the ground violently before coming to a stop. I struggle to regain my bearings and locate my two adversaries, ripping air back into my lungs. What the fuck just happened?

Struggling to my knees, I raise my eyes to meet that of Deidara's who is standing where I just was mere moments ago. Once again, his expression is vague. I drape an arm over my stomach and glare back at him, wincing in pain, heart picking up pace with each passing second. So I must fight both of them? And win?

"Danna, don't waste your time on this one, un. This will be easy for me. Go on ahead and get the intel we gathered to leader-sama, un." Sasori studies Deidara for a time as he smirks back at him, then finally gives a heavy sigh and replaces his scroll.

"Have it your way then. Just don't take too long here." With that he wastes no time retreating and sprinting away out of sight. Well, this is an unexpected twist of events, but is it in my favor? Deidara is not going to be a pushover no more than Sasori. He turns to me after a few seconds and reaches into a pouch on his waist.

"Shall we then? Gomen I have to do this, un." _He's sorry_? Laughable. He's probably going to enjoy every bit of whatever he has planned.

In an instant, Deidara tosses a white dough-like figurine into the air quickly followed by a hand sign. The object goes up into a cloud of smoke, and as the smoke clears, a much larger version of the figure emerges. So this is his jutsu. He leaps upon what I can now make out as a bird-like creature. It flies higher into the air above the trees, increasing the distance between us. I know what is coming next…

A barrage of white figures fall from the sky, hurtling at me. I run and dive to my right just as the earth around me quakes from immense simultaneous explosions. As I pin my body behind a tree, unpleasantly hot bursts of air whip past either side of me. I cover my face with my arms and move into a scrunching position. _Shit_.

"Oi, Aya-san, this can only end one way, un. You sure you want to drag this out?" He calls out. _Aya-san? _I dart from behind the tree and make my way to a clearing I notice nearby. Easier for him to spot me but easier for me to get him. He snickers. "Well thanks, un."

"Not doing this to oblige you asshole!" Slipping shuriken between all my fingers, I hurl them in his direction. He evades them easily with his famous amused grin.

"You're gonna have to do better than that, un. Those will never be able to reach me." Never thought they would, but I still need to build up more chakra. If I can keep him dodging me, he won't be able to unleash as many explosives. I send assault after assault of kunai and shuriken, summoning my chakra as I go. He has the advantage on me whilst he attacks with explosives at a distance. I need to bring him down to my level. I reach for my next set of…_damn_, that last was the rest of them. "You seem to be in a predicament, un."

Damn, damn, damn. I need a little more time for that jutsu. If he hits me directly with one of those explosives, it could be the end. I hear a rustling sound coming from the ground, and I snap my attention in its direction. To the left, no, right? Then again behind me…what? Small white beetles begin emerging from the ground. Not merely one, dozens, in all directions, creating a perimeter around me.

"No," I gasp. I hear Deidara give a low laugh.

"That's right, un. Beetles made from my detonating clay. KATSU!" My heart pounds out of control as the force from the explosion closes in on me.

"Mizu kakuheki jutsu (Water Barrier Wall Technique)!" I summon the water from the environment, forcing it from the ground beneath me in the same manner of perimeter the explosion takes and send it blasting straight into the air. The explosion collides against the wall and dies out rapidly. As soon as it does, I release the jutsu to conserve my chakra.

"Oi, not bad, Aya-san, un. But can you keep it up?" _Not likely. _He reaches for more of his clay and releases them above me. I dash in the opposite direction, feeling the heat of each blast nipping at my heels. "How do you like my art, un?"

"Mizu Danmaku Pisutoru (Water Barrage Pistol)!" Concentrated balls of water filled with my chakra fire at him. His bird-thing retreats further into the air and eludes most of my attack, but a few clip the wing, making it unsteady and unable to evade as quickly. I have to do it now. No more excuses. I need to bring that thing out of the air or he keeps the advantage.

"You just had to take the hard route, un?" He asks, preparing another bombardment.

"Well I never have liked doing things the easy way, ya know?" I reply, giving a fake, sweet smile. Now. Slender yet deadly vortexes of air begin to form from the sky, their power in my hands. I harness them and drive one through the center of his clay bird. Naturally, he jumps from the bird in time before the vortex drives through him as well. It would have been a bonus, but I never expected to get him in the process.

He lands on the ground with a shocked expression, irritation beginning to bubble up in his face. "Well, well. Water and wind style jutsu. I'm impressed. And as much as like to drag out our little game we have going, I'm afraid my leader will be wanting me to return soon."

"Baka! Unleash your explosions with these vortexes going and it will consume them and spin them out of your control. You will be signing your own death certificate, ya know!" He smiles back at me. Damn him! His confidence is really pissing me off!

"Then let's test that theory, un." Wait, he's serious. He wouldn't…He pulls out his clay, tossing it into the spiraling vortexes. No way!

"KATSU!" The explosion rips through the vortexes. The immense increase of energy pouring through them puts a strain on my chakra. I glance at his smiling face through the massive glow of flames while he stands his ground as the vortexes disperse from my control. I cannot maintain them. Damn it! I cannot hold all this energy spiraling around. Can't…

I collapse to the ground on my hands and knees, panting heavily, sweat dripping down my face. _Need to move…vortexes will tear right through this place. I'll be caught in it's path!_ I raise my eyes to monitor the position of the chaos, but I do not see Deidara anywhere. So he made his escape, did he? Guess he knows I exhausted too much chakra trying to control these things and won't be able to get away quick enough. Wobbling to my feet, I try to run at a perpendicular angle to the force of energy. These things are picking up speed and power at a terrifying pace.

A hand suddenly grasps my arm and pulls me upward, barely giving me enough time to register what is happening. I land upon something soft yet firm at the same time. "That was close, un."

My head whips around to meet the eyes of none other than Deidara. We are upon another one of his clay birds, flying far away from the destruction. He has that stupid grin plastered on his face again. My leg swings out to knock him in the face, but he is too fast and avoids it. Then a swing of my fist. Blocked. Another sidekick. Missed.

"Cut that shit out, un. I just saved your life."

"Why? So you could take pleasure in killing me yourself?" I say as I take another swing at him. He moves out of the way and I lose my balance, slipping over the edge of the featherless bird. My fall is short-lived as Deidara grabs onto my wrist.

"Aya-san, you baka, quit resisting my attempts to help you, un." A kunai slips from one of his pouches and I take the opportunity to snag it with my free hand.

"AS IF I'D BELIEVE THE CRAZY BASTARD TRYING TO BLOW ME UP, YA KNOW!" I scream, stabbing the kunai into the hand he held onto me with. On reflex, his hand releases me, and I continue my decent to the ground. Fortunately, it isn't too far to fall. My feet hit the ground with a thud, but I soon lose my balance and topple to the ground in my weakened state.

It does not take him long to reach me again. I glare up at him whilst he jumps from his bird and releases the jutsu. He approaches me cautiously, blood dripping from one of his hands. It is then I see a tongue-like object snaking up from his hand and lapping up the scarlet liquid. What the _hell?_

He is on me in seconds, sending a powerful fist straight into my gut. "Huack!" Blood spurts up from my throat and spills out of my mouth. I stumble backwards and fall on my back, breathing heavy and rigid. I have no energy to return his assault.

"You have nice potential, but you made a mistake in casting a jutsu you have minimum control over, un. Sure you might get your enemy with it, but it seems more likely you kill yourself with your own jutsu from what I just saw back there. It was not a smart move, un."

I glare at him while taking in his insults. It's true, I have little experience with that jutsu, but I thought I needed my best weapon if I am to defeat an opponent like him. The end has come sooner than I thought; my energy is sapped. "Go ahead and kill me…nnghh…I don't care anymore, ya know."

"Baka! Who said I was going to kill you, un?" He walks over to me, leans down, and grabs a fist full of my shirt between my breasts, pulling me into a sitting position. I wince from the pain it causes. "I needed to wear you out first, un, before I took you back to base. A battered and bound shinobi isn't that much of a threat. Perhaps leader-sama will spare you if you tell him you're willing to serve the Akatsuki, that is if you're telling the truth about that, un. He will know, and you will be defenseless to do anything if you're lying. But Sasori no Danna is impatient. He wouldn't have given you that opportunity, un, so I had to make him think I would take care of you by myself. Danna would have killed you for sure, un."

My head throbs as I soak in what he is saying. So he was being merciful? Funny how I am not feeling the mercy at all. I continue to glare back into his intense blue eyes. There is something strange within them, a hint of remorse maybe. Yeah right, maybe I'm just reading too much into what he is telling me.

"I don't believe you, ya know," I say weakly.

"Let's go, un," he says, ignoring my comment and pulling on my arm. Pain pierces through me as I try to move.

"Nngh! I can't!" I fall back down and wrap my arms around my sides. He reaches for both my arms once again and wraps them around his shoulders before hoisting me onto his back. He is going to carry me? "What are y-?"

"Just be still and relax. It will take at least an hour with me carrying you on foot, un." Relax? Easy for him to say. What if his leader decides to kill me anyway? I want to protest, to fight him again, but I have lost all ability to do so. My eyes are heavy and I can no longer force consciousness. Darkness takes over, an almost welcoming presence, as my eyes slowly close and I slip into a deep sleep.


	4. Meeting

**MEETING**

DEIDARA'S POV

A glow emanates from the inner cavern of the hideout; I suspect Leader-sama and the others have already gathered to review the intelligence Sasori no Danna and I gathered from before. It's whatever, un, I think to myself, they can just fill me in on anything important I may have missed. I doubt they have had time to get into many details, anyway. Heh, Sasori no Danna is going to be pissed when he sees that I have brought this woman back with me.

My gaze shifts over my shoulder. Her breathing has calmed and she seems almost at peace. It is not as if I have done any harm to bring her here. If she spoke the truth earlier, she can be put to use in some way. If not, well, she can be put to death. I will have no qualms over them killing her if she was lying and really is a spy. Hell, I'll even do it myself if they ask it of me. But to kill off a potential ally seems pointless. If an idiot like Zetsu's subordinate, Tobi, can serve the Akatsuki, then she can, too.

The voice of that bastard Uchiha becomes clearly audible as I come upon the entrance to the main cavern.

"It was only to be expected that the intel you gathered would not reveal the identities of the jinchuuriki. None of the other villages had recorded it, either."

"Nevertheless," says another voice belonging to Leader-sama, "We still have information gathered during espionage that honed us in on people of interest. It won't be long before we make our first move against the Hidden Villages. We have copies of their Bingo books and it seems they all coincide with one another. What little information they possess on us will hardly be enough to plan an effective defense strategy."

The room is illuminated by wall torches, and I can see my associates gathered around a large, rectangular table garnished with various papers, maps, and open books. I reveal myself from the shadows of the entryway and step into the opening as Leader-sama finishes his statement. His psychedelic, violet eyes meet mine, confusion apparent as he notices the girl on my back. The rest of the Akatsuki make discreet glances in my direction. Danna spares me an unenthusiastic look, as well, but it soon evolves into a furious glare. Heh, here we go.

"I see you have returned, Deidara," Leader-sama says, "Sasori has already informed us of the reason for the delay." His eyes bore into mine, clearly asking for an explanation.

"He was supposed to be returning alone, Leader-sama," Sasori hisses, "I knew I should have dealt with it myself."

"Tch, I'm only doing us a miniscule favor, un," I say with a strained smile in Danna's direction.

"Is that girl not a spy from one of the Hidden Villages?" Konan pipes up.

"Ye-"

"We don't know anything for certain, un." Danna shoots me another irritated glare at my interruption. "I searched her belongings earlier. All she had on her is typical ninja gear, a small encased photograph, and a headband from Kirigakure. No recorded information or anything to signify she was sent to spy on us, un."

"Brings back memories," Kisame remarks mostly to himself with an evil grin.

"Exactly," Sasori no Danna interjects, "She is from Kirigakure, an enemy of Akatsuki."

"It may have slipped your mind because of your age and all, Danna, but _we're _all from the Hidden Villages, too, un." A steel cable projects from Danna's body and lashes out at me, but I quickly move out of the way, having been through this sort of situation with him several times before.

"Enough," Leader-sama says sternly before turning to me, "What are you suggesting?"

"We should at least question her, un. She claims she wants to serve the Akatsuki. I figured you should be the one to decide, Leader-sama, whether she is a spy or not. If she is, we may get some valuable information out of her before her death. If she isn't, we may still get some valuable information from her. Then you could put her to work with the other subordinates."

He closes his eyes in contemplation for a brief moment before reopening them. "Zetsu."

The anomalous character Zetsu steps forward and nods, understanding without needing to be ordered. He walks off to the side and removes a few tiles from the stone floor. I watch in curiosity as he unwinds shackles and thick chains from the hollows left from the tiles. So that's how it is, I think, relieved.

"Bring her here," Zetsu's friendlier voice says. Without hesitation or complaint, I deliver the girl to him and aid him in locking the manacles to both her wrists and ankles. I notice unusual markings along the outsides of them as I lay her on the floor, but I quickly dismiss it before standing and facing Leader-sama for further instructions. Everyone else remains in place and observant.

"We will wake her now," Zetsu's darker voice says. Leader-sama approaches us and the girl. When he is directly before us, he nods at Zetsu. A loud sound echoes in the cavern as Zetsu fist makes contact with the unconscious girl's face.

AYA'S POV

My body feels ancient and broken, every movement sending unbearable pain through my body. As well as it should. Did I not take a beating earlier? That on top of my chakra exhaustion. Baka, I think inwardly. Sloppy. Hotheaded. I cannot think of enough insults to sling at myself right now for how incompetent I made myself seem in battle. I am better than that, I know I am.

Through my self-chastisement, I remember that I am in the custody of the blond, Deidara. I think I lost consciousness. Well duh, of course I did. I wince from all the aches. A new pain emits from my left cheek I do not think was there before, but who knows? I begin to hear incoherent voices and gradually start to peel my eyes open against my better judgment.

"She's coming to," a hair-raising voice says.

"Good," says another unfamiliar voice, "You two may step back."

As my eyes open, I can see a blurry figure looking down on me. My mind registers the past twenty-four hours in an instant, and fear begins to whittle its way back into my system. I instinctively sit up, temporarily ignoring my pain. I do not go far when I feel cold steel yank against the flesh on my wrists.

"It is no use to struggle, onna. Those are special restraints that will nullify any chakra you may have left, and you are physically in no condition to escape as it were. Do you know where you are?" How the hell would I know where I'm at, I think?

All temptation to spurt the sarcastic remark fade as my vision clears and I get a good look at the man before me. Wicked purple eyes adorn a face with multiple piercings and fiery orange hair. His attire is the same as the Akatsuki's, so he must be one of them. I shake my head at his question, speechless.

"You are at the Akatsuki base. I am Pein, leader of the Akatsuki. Do you understand your situation?" I nod feebly. Yeah, I have some serious dumb luck to be alive right now and it is about to run out. My eyes at long last regain total focus and I take note of several others a short distance behind the man before me. All of them wear Akatsuki cloaks. I am so fucked. I will not escape. What was I thinking? They will never believe any fabricated story I make up to get them to trust me. Too smart for that. "Your life has been spared momentarily to allow you a chance to say your purpose. You were discovered following two of our own. Tell me why. Speak quickly."

I hesitate and his stare bores into me like a thousand kunai knives. I force my eyes away from his, but they have nowhere else to land except for the other members. My eyes find Deidara, the one who I fought with before, the one who supposedly brought me here to help me, then…it's _him._ Hoshigaki Kisame. I found him. My heart pounds with joy? Uncertainty? I don't know. But he's here. He stares back at me with unreadable emotion before I snap back to reality.

"To find the Akatsuki," I say, not meaning to sound mocking.

"You here this bitch, Kakuzu?" One of the Akatsuki members says, laughing, to the one standing next to him, "'To find the Akatsuki.' That much we can gather, bitch."

The one known as Pein glances back and silences him before returning that deadly stare to me. "You're going to have to be more specific. Were you sent here to spy?"

"_No_."

"Then why are you here?"

"I-I am a rogue. I came to pledge my loyalty unto the Akatsuki."

"Why should I believe you?"

'I, because it's the truth."

"And if I think you are lying?"

"I d-don't have any proof of what you ask. I bring only myself to you." He is silent for a moment, looking at me with interrogative eyes. My heart fights against its restraints in my chest.

"You are from Kirigakure, yes? A shinobi; we have gathered your belongings along with your headband. What are you called?"

"Aya, Matsura Aya. Yes, I was a kinoichi from Kirigakure, but I turned rogue six months ago." He seems to consider this for a bit.

"Zetsu." The strangest man suddenly appears before Pein with a book in hand. He hands it off to him and returns to his former location. "We will see, Matsura Aya."

Pein proceeds to flip through the pages and stops upon one of them. His eyes meet mine. I attempt to swallow the lump in my throat, but it seems it will not budge no matter how I try.

"Hear this:" he begins, addressing everyone in the room, "Matsura Aya, age seventeen, jonin of Kirigakure, turns rogue on April 4th of this year after killing four fellow shinobi during an altercation. She fled the scene shortly thereafter, disobeying the command of her superior to stay and face justice. Specializes in medium range ninjutsu, particularly water and wind style techniques. Current intentions and whereabouts unknown. A-rank criminal."

Bitterness brews in the pit of my stomach. They make it sound simple, but it was anything but simple. I am no murderer. No, the murderers were the four that met their end that night. Not that the Akatsuki would care. Hell, that would probably make things easier for me right now if I was a cold-blooded killer. All I can do is manage a weak nod to confirm what he has read. The ghost of tears catch in my throat, but I hold them back with all my strength. These are the last people I need to see my weaknesses.

"So you mean to submit your loyalties to the Akatsuki after fleeing your village?"

"Yes."

"Why?" Why? _Why?_ What else can I possibly say to him? I search for the right words to appease him. "Rogues do not generally leave the authority of one force just to go directly and submit themselves to another unless they have a specific reason for doing so. What is yours? Power? Money? Protection? What is it you seek from the Akatsuki?"

I wrack my brain for answers, anything that might satisfy his interrogation. I keep my eyes fixed to the ground. Then the reason comes to me. "To have a purpose," I say quietly.

"'A purpose?'" I nod.

"My life was meaningless just wandering aimlessly after leaving Kirigakure, ya know. Even if my life there was based on lies, it gave me a goal and motivation. After I left, I needed to find a purpose as a rogue, something meaningful. There was another rogue from my village who did this before my time, who found an institution to build his new life around. I came to idolize him from the tales of his great skills, though I had never met him in person. I came here to find him, to learn from him, and in doing so, serve the Akatsuki, because this is the institution he became a part of."

I take a deep breath after finishing. It is not far from the truth, and I can only pray he believes me. The more I think of it, the more I know it is true.

"This bitch really thinks we want to hear her sob story?" The silver haired man gripes loudly.

"Shut up, Hidan," the masked man next to him says in a threatening manner. This guy really dislikes me for some reason and it isn't making my situation any better. I lower my eyes and grit my teeth. I came here to find my father. Did I really get this far to just give up and die?

A set of footsteps approach from behind Pein, but I cannot see who it is from the angle I am at.

"Well, well. This is interesting. So you must have came here looking for me." A tall, bluish man steps out from behind Pein and stares me directly in the eyes. He grimaces, seeming to be battling some form of mixed emotions. An overwhelming emotion overtakes me, as well, but I do not know what it is. I have never felt this type of feeling before. I do not know if I can describe it as happiness or uncertainty. Pein takes his eyes from me to look at my father. He clears his expression when he feels Pein's eyes on him. "You mean to say you came here in hopes that I would take you under my wing?"

"T-that is my one desire now that I am rogue. Being rogue meant I was free to choose my path. I chose to follow you." I hope I sound more confident than I feel. I doubt it. He gives me a sinister smile.

"That's nice; she has a fish fetish. Whatever floats your boat. Can we move this thing along now?" Silver Hair interrupts again.

"The report in the Bingo book could be a fake, an elaborate plot set by Kirigakure to take out their black sheep. In other words, you Kisame. We shouldn't just assume we can trust this girl," the Zetsu person says in that chilling voice. I do a double take when I hear him continue in a completely different voice. "Yes, she is either truly what she says, a frightened outcast kinoichi in over her head, or a rather good actress going along with a clever scheme."

"A viable point," Pein says. I bite my lip in defeat. I cannot prove anything to them. All they have to go on is a book report. Before today, I did not exist in their minds. Nothing I say can argue against what they have already swimming about in their heads.

"Listen," Silver Hair says, "if we're not keeping the bitch, can you hurry up and kill her so we can get on with our lives." What is with that bastard? Easy for him to talk about ending a life when it isn't his. The others are unusually silent. Are they always this way? Perhaps it is best they don't say anything if they are going to have opinions like that one does.

"I believe the girl speaks the truth about not being a spy," Pein says at last. I nearly heave a sigh of relief but then think better of it. "However, I do think you have something to hide though I cannot say for sure. Secrets kept from the Akatsuki by its members or associates can lead to fatal consequences no matter how trivial they seem."

The bit of hope I had building fades quickly. An air of finality lingers around his every word. It does not bode well for me. I watch him discreetly as he walks towards my father and whispers something in his ear. Hours seem to pass in those brief moments. Is this it?

Pein turns and looks at me blankly. "I can not verify your reliability nor can I tolerate any set backs due to your not being who you say you are, and I will not put the Akatsuki at risk based on a hunch. A swift death is all I can offer you. Kisame here will be the one to do it as it is only fitting seeming how you hold him so highly."

This _is it. Dread fills me like disease. My only condolence is that I had the opportunity to at least see my father in person. Now he is going to kill me. Ironic. I temper my body and my emotions; I will not let anything keep me from my dignity in this moment. Nobody will take that from me ever again. Pein hands off what I notice as my headband to my father and walks away to join the rest of the group._

"_I will release your bonds and allow you to put this on," he says, approaching me. He avoids eye contact with me as he bends over and works on the bonds around my wrists and ankles. The headband clinks to the floor precariously, and I find myself drawn to it. This is a symbol of my life. It is appropriate I wear it in the time of my death. I suppose even criminals have some sentimental values they uphold, as well._

_He finishes and stands up, taking a few steps back from me. My fingers fumble for the headpiece, and when I finally grasp it, I waste no time securing it on my forehead._

"_Stand." I do as he says without hesitation, almost mechanical. It seems strange now that death is certain, my body obeys easily and without wavering. I never had the chance to truly reveal myself to him or to prove to him that I could be a great shinobi, that he fathered such a child. But this is no time for regrets. I stare him directly in the eyes, awaiting the inevitable. His eyes and emotions are unreadable, but I don't think I want to know what he is thinking as he ends my life. It makes things simple…yes, simple._

_Then it happens. He draws a kunai from his cloak, deadly fast. He swoops in, inches from me. The only sound I hear is the thump of my heart and the dragging of air in and out of my lungs. I dare not move. I refuse to be a coward. I bar any consequential thoughts from entering my mind, anything that will make my passing anything but alright. I have nothing to lose by my death. Nothing to regret. Nothing left undone. The quicker this ends, the better. It means less time to doubt myself. Part of me knew death was the other possibility if I were to come to the Akatsuki. I was and still am prepared for that outcome. Then the swing of a blade…_


	5. In the Akatsuki

DEIDARA'S POV

My breath hitches in my throat as Kisame swings the kunai. I don't care; I did what I could for her. I tell myself this anyway. Something about this whole situation troubles me, I must admit, if only to myself. But I'm not the only one. Maybe I imagined it; no one else seemed to notice, but I saw something in Kisame's expression, too, something disturbing his usual blithe mood. He has never had an issue with striking down a target before, neither have I. We do what we are told to do by Leader-sama, that's all.

I avert my eyes from the scene. I do not have to see what happens next. She did not even attempt to flee. Who can blame her? There is no escape to be had now. Absent-mindedly I reach into my cloak for the small photograph encased in hard plastic I had pocketed from her belongings earlier. A woman who looks almost identical to Aya holds a small child, a girl, with cherry blossoms in the background. It looks like her, but there are differences. The woman isn't Aya. On the back is written "Me and My Little Angel." Aya must be the little girl, and the woman, her mother. She must love her mother to carry this with her meager belongings, so why did she become rogue? People who love and are loved don't murder comrades and flee their home. Those things are done by people with nothing to lose.

Once again, my attention is drawn again when I hear the harsh slash of steel against steel. I prevent my gaze from moving in the direction of Kisame and Aya and bite my tongue. This is…wrong. The thought feels foreign in my mind. Part of me knows I should hold no sympathies for this girl. I had seen a phantom of my old self in this girl before, but we are nothing alike. She is worlds away from what I am now. My mind takes hold of the situation. But then…it is wrong. What? Steel against _steel_?

I yank my head in the direction of the anticipated bloodshed, but I do not find that as my intense gaze locks on to the spectacle. Aya has not moved an inch, but Kisame's arm is now across from where it had been, making his previous swing apparent. But there is no blood. Her eyes widen in shock.

A clinking noise echoes in the cavern, and a shinobi headband settles violently to the floor, a slash engraved across the middle of the steel center. Aya's stumbles backward slightly in delayed action and rakes a few gasps into her lungs. What just happened? Kisame turns around and makes eye contact with Leader-sama, a crazy grin on his face. Leader-sama nods and Kisame turns back to Aya.

"Congratulations, Matsura Aya. Officially from this day you serve me and by extension, the Akatsuki," Kisame says.

She lets out a almost inaudible, breathy, "What?"

"Let's just say your typical spy would usually make some effort to notify her village of any intel that may have been gathered or at the very least that the mission has failed, even in situations of certain death. They train you to do so before dispatching you on that type of mission. You were watched carefully; you had no such intentions. It is your lucky day."

AYA'S POV

Lucky day? That was a test? How fucked up can you get? Dying would have been easier on my nerves. I raise my palms and stare down at them. I am alive. This is real, and what's more, my father has taken me on as his subordinate. Perhaps fortune really is working in my favor today. I stare back into my father's critical gaze. If only it will continue to do so…

"Pick it up," he says, motioning to my headband. I walk over cautiously and scrape my headband from the floor, half-expecting him to attack me as if this is some sort of sick game they were all playing. Nothing happens. Clutching the freshly scarred item in my left hand, I hold it to my chest and glance back at my father.

"I hope you know what this entails, Aya. Furthermore, I have never once taken on a subordinate; do not make me regret my choice, or I will make you regret ever laying eyes upon the Akatsuki. You will be called upon when needed." He motions towards a series of passageways on one side of the cavern. "At the end of the leftmost hall, you will find empty rooms you may utilize. But don't get too comfortable. This is but one of many bases Akatsuki uses. We leave in a week's time. Don't bother with making me show you the way. My instructions are fairly cut and dried."

I bow as he retreats from me and the rest of the members begin to disperse from view. Deidara lingers a little longer than the others and our eyes meet briefly. _Arigato_, I think. Focusing my mind and emotions, I head for the direction of the empty rooms, longing for the opportunity to simply lie down and forget everything that has transpired through unconsciousness.

The hall is dim but light enough for me to drag my feet quickly to its end. I pass a number of plain, wooden doors before coming to the farthest one on the right. With caution, I try its handle, and it opens with a soft squeak. Poking my head slowly into the dark room, I peer around and try to detect any presence. There is none. Only bare room with a simple bed and a few dressers.

With a sigh of relief, I walk to the wall away from the bed and press my back against it, slouching to the floor in exhaustion. I imagine by now darkness has fallen outside, as well. What now?…I wait. I soak in those moments of peace. There may not be much time for it once I start upholding my obligations.

A light illuminates the room all of a sudden, and pivot my head towards the door. The blond bomber stands in the doorway with his hand on a light switch off to the side. In his other hand there is a cloth package. "You just gonna lie here in the dark, un?"

I do not reply, but he dismisses it and approaches me and places the item he is holding on the floor next to me. He smiles slightly.

"A few things you may need, un. Change of clothes. Something to clean yourself up. These rooms have their own small personal wash rooms." He points to another door apart from the entrance that I had not noticed for some reason. "You'll need it; you look awful, un."

I grunt amusedly, well aware of the sweat dirt, and blood splatters coating my clothing and body. No thanks to him. He laughs.

"Gomen, Aya-san, I did not mean it that way." I shrug and place the package in my lap. He stares at me in silence before I become uncomfortable under his observation.

"Arigato," I say finally, smoothing the cloth around the package out. He hunkers down on the floor in front of me to level our eye contact.

"I'm glad you made it in," he says, seeming sincere, though I do not know why. Were not all Akatsuki members cold-hearted villains? Would I have come to find them if I truly thought that? Well, some of them don't seem far from it on first impression.

"I am, as well, ya know," I say absently. I begin to unwrap the contents of the package. Shampoo. Toothpaste and toothbrush. Bar soap. Hairbrush and ties. Pants. Shirt. Female undergarments. Sleeping gown. I cast him a questioning stare.

"From Konan," he snickers, "Don't get the wrong impression that I keep things like that, un."

"Konan?" I repeat.

"Yeah, she is part of the Akatsuki. She is the only female Akatsuki member, un." I nod in understanding, though I do not recall a female in the room earlier. Hopefully, she is friendlier than Silver Hair.

"Tell her arigato for me, would you, Deidara-san?" I fiddle with the bottle of shampoo. Now that I think of it, a hot shower would be nice on my aching body before I drift off to sleep. But…I sigh with utter fatigue.

"You know, if you're too tired to clean yourself up…I can help you, un." My mind takes its time through my tiredness to grasp what he has said and misses the tinge of sarcasm that laces his tone. When it does register, it hits me like a sack of stones.

"Uh, _h-hey_!" He waves his hands with a devilish smirk.

"I'm only kidding with you, of course, un, " he laughs, "Unless, that is, you actually want me to, un."

"No," I say quickly, shaking my head violently. Is he out of his mind? I'm not exactly in a kidding mood from all that has happened to me in so short a period of time. He feigns disappointment that seems a bit too genuine.

"Oh well," he says, finally standing again and heading for the exit. As he reaches the door, I catch one last glimpse of his face and the impish grin plastered to it. "I'll see ya later, Aya-san, un."


	6. Start Of A New Life

**A/N: I know it has been awhile since I have updated the story. For those who actually read and enjoy it, I am sorry. I have been busy with school, work, and personal things. I DO plan to finish it, and I will update when I can. Hopefully the next part will be out sooner than this one. Feel free to leave me constructive criticism of how I can improve my writing or any other comments you can think of, just no flames! They aren't helpful. Constructive or positive ones help to encourage me, however, so please comment! Thank you for reading! :)**

I don't recall dragging myself from the floor, nor do I remember making my way to the shower or the bed thereafter. All I know is I wake up tangled in the thin blanket provided to me, my body sore and stiff. There are no windows, as this is underground, so I cannot tell what time of day it is. Recent events start racing through my mind. There must be some higher power on my side. Part of me knew that this was a crazy venture, but I needed to see it through…and I made it…somehow. Was this the right path, Mother? The rare times you spoke of my father, you always spoke fondly. Perhaps, in some bizarre way, I am fulfilling your dormant desire to see him again.

Shaking those deep thoughts from my mind, I flex my muscles to test how much of my strength has returned. It seems, for the most part, all of my chakra has recovered and my injuries are healed. Only minor discomfort remains. I raise my upper body into a sitting stance. How long had I slept? The thought barely displays in my mind before light floods into the previously dark room followed by the oxygen being knocked from my lungs. A black and orange blur flies towards me and slings its arms around me. _In the name of…_So much for gradually waking up on my own. I am certain I am fully awake now.

"_AYA-CHAN_! Tobi is so glad you're awake!"

What…

The…

_Hell_…?

Eyes wide, I take in the crazed…man…before me. A cloaked figure sporting a orange spiral mask with a single eye opening. His face is completely concealed, but above it is a patch of spiky black hair. Who the hell is this guy , and furthermore why the hell is he hugging me? One of the Akatsuki? He releases me from his bear-like hug but remains seated on the bed in front of me. His cloak is plain black, unlike those belonging to the other members. Then again, it's not like they are required to wear the same wardrobe constantly if they are at their base. Not that I know for certain but, whatever. I try to form the right words to drown out the sound of my pounding heart.

"Who are you?"

"Hehe, me?"

"Who else would I be talking to?" He giggles in a ridiculous manner, but not before I mentally slap myself for talking in such a snappy manner. For all I know, he could be faking this behavior to test me. I may have made it into the Akatsuki, but that doesn't mean I can immediately trust all its affiliates. I struggle to peer through the darkness in his mask's eye hole and just barely make out a red-colored eye. _Weird_. Is that normal. Come to think of it-

"Hi! My name is Tobi! You are Aya-chan!" It is more of a statement than a question. He waves a hand dramatically. I cannot get over how infantile he is acting. Is this guy for real?

"I know who I am. What are you doing in here?"

"To meet new woman," he says, then he points to himself again. ""Tobi is subordinate, too. Tobi serves Zetsu-sama. Also…Tobi has brought food for Aya-chan. Aya-chan has been asleep for thirty-six hours and must been famished."

He runs over to a dresser present in the room which I only now notice has gained a platter or food upon it in the time I was asleep. Rushing back with it in tow, he places it on the small bedside table. Thirty-six hours, huh? Sighing, I run my fingers through my hair and glance over at the platter. _You have to be kidding me…_Savory rice balls with an eerie likeness to this Tobi are lined on the tray. Nori and cheese strips form the vision of his mask upon their faces. This guy is either a really good actor or a complete buffoon. Am I seriously going to eat his face? My stomach growls in response to my contemplation. Well, I guess anything sounds good right about now. The said Tobi claps his hands together with a particular eagerness.

"Did you make these for me?" I ask, though I am fairly certain I know the answer. He nods his head rapidly.

"Yes, Tobi took special care to make them perfect for Aya-chan. Try them, they are extra tasty." I finger one cautiously before picking it up in a palm. Tobi watches me in silence as I take my time to bring the food to my mouth and sinking my teeth into its tender flesh. A peculiar yet pleasing seasoning is present and raw flounder fills its center. It is delicious. I nod at the on looking Tobi in approval and make a "mmm" noise with which he responds to by clapping furiously. Spas' much? Surprisingly, I continue to eat in mostly silence as he observes me. I find it rather annoying, but I do not protest. I guess I should at least be grateful someone is looking out for my well being. He retrieves a pitcher of water and drinking glass from the same dresser as earlier, and I finish the meal with two full glasses of water.

"Thank you. It was delicious," I say, bowing slightly. I feel sort of awkward to have had him watch me intently while I ate in bed right after I wake, but he doesn't seem fazed, so I disregard it. Come to think of it, what if it was poisoned? I would have detected it immediately, wouldn't I've? I should not underestimate my adversary, not matter how silly they may act. The thoughts make me get a sudden urge to lose everything I just ate. Tobi is still staring at me in silence.

"Was there some detail you wanted to say to me?" I ask, trying to keep the aggravation from my voice in case he simply was being kind to me.

"Sorry, Tobi was distracted. No, no, no. Tobi is just happy to meet Aya-chan and is glad she enjoyed the rice balls."

"I see.."

"But…Aya-chan?" I cast him a nervous glance. _So there is something_.

"Aya-chan's clothes are a bit disheveled ."

"Huh?" I look down at the gown I had received from Konan to sleep in. All the blood in my body instantly rushes to my face at what I see. Apparently, I am not awake as I originally thought. The top of the thin material is twisted and my breasts lie in plain sight for all to see. My mouth gapes open in a stupid expression, words unable to form on my lips.

"It's okay, Tobi is not complaining or anything. Tobi just thought Aya-chan might want to kno-"

My glare burns through him. "Have you been staring at-_this _the whole time?"

"Eh, well, uh only since I noticed."

"Which _was_?"

"Since I came in…Is something wrong, Aya-chan?" His eyes remain fixated somewhere lower than my eyes while a blood vessel in my temple throbs.

"DON'T KEEP LOOKING, _MORON_!" I take hold of my water glass and fling it at his head. He quickly responds by shielding himself with the food tray he had brought. Next, comes the water pitcher which he easily blocks, but I don't care. I need to blow off steam. Here I am thinking he is setting me up when it is actually something completely ridiculous and annoying. Damn buffoon! Clown! Idiot! An array of items rain down upon him while he tries desperately to block them all with the plastic tray. He whines while running back and forth in the small room. Pillow, blanket, shampoo bottle, spare clothes. Damn it, die! Die when I kill you!

"Tobi sorry! Tobi not mean to anger Aya-chan! Forgive Tobi! Please forgive!" I rise from my bed and stomp down onto the floor. I can seriously spit bullets right now. Is it not enough that I nearly wrecked all my nerves simply gaining access to the Akatsuki? I'm tired of being screwed with. Tobi peaks his head from behind the tray cautiously. My first instinct is to find something else to hurl at his face, but instead I break out into full-hearted laughter.

"Ah hell," I say, quickly changing my tone to a friendly one, "of course I forgive you, ya know. I should be able to trust you, shouldn't I? We are one and the same now, right?"

My voice hardens as I finish my sentence. If they think I'm going to be weak and pathetic, they have another thing coming. I'll show them what I'm really made of. In my little charade of thoughts, I completely disregard the fact that it had taken only _one _of them to bring me down. That is _totally _beside the point. Tobi slowly lowers the food tray and stares at me without answering for a minute. Any day now…

"Hehehehe, oh yes! Tobi will be your best friend here! But…" _But? _"Just so Tobi isn't accused of being a bad boy: Aya-chan hasn't fixed her gown yet."

I yank my gown in place, furious at _him _for _my _stupidity. Smiling sweetly, I walk over to him and place a hand on the tray he is still holding. Yanking the tray from him, I proceed to whack him on the head repeatedly.

"OUT, OUT, _OUT_!"

"SORRY, SORRY, _SORRY_!"

He makes no more attempts to appease me but rather flees directly for the door, not even bothering to shut it on the way out. That idiot really….argh…I plop back down on the bed and cover my face with my hands. A genuine smile creeps upon my face.

"Hahahahahahah!"

"What the hell is going on in here?"

Taking a sideward glance to the door, I watch as the owner of the newest voice enters my room without a moment's hesitation. Deidara approaches the bed cautiously where I remain lying, face covered while creating gaps in my fingers to see. In his hand is another pack of items. Unfortunately my attention is not focused on that at the moment but rather the damp-haired, bare-chested rogue shinobi it is attached to. His hair is not tied up like it was before. The damp tresses fall loosely in his face while his trim yet chiseled figure shines with water residue. What's up with that? Isn't he a criminal? Couldn't he go steal a shirt or something? Perchance a better towel, because whatever he used didn't get the job done? Those sharp, blue eyes pierce through me as if he can read my every thought. Wait…haven't I seen this scenario before? Oh shit! It's like the start of one of those bad porn films. I squeeze my eyes shut. Ancestors, if you get me out of this mess, I promise to be a good girl from now on and never glance at another one of those horrendous films again. I peel open my eyes only to see him still standing there with a confused expression. Darting to the furthest part of the bed, I snatch a pillow and turn around, holding the pillow up as a shield.

"I don't know what you're planning, but I already ate Tobi head rice balls, so I don't want any pizza, ya know! Also, I've been tied up enough lately, so don't get any ideas where that is concerned, either!"

"Are you feeling okay?"

"Huh?"

He tosses the pack down on the bed before taking a seat himself. I look to it wearily. I'm being totally ridiculous. Perhaps I have lost my mind, after all.

"It's ninja gear. You'll be training with Kisame-san in a little over an hour. He told me to tell you and to give this to you. He wants to assess your abilities himself rather than just read your report from your former village. I suppose he'll decide afterwards whether to take you with him and Itachi next week, un."

"What's next week?" A devilish smile creeps upon his face.

"Assassination."

"Assassination?"

"That's right. Some fools have been getting too close, gathering intel on us. We know where they'll be at this time next week. Leader-sama has assigned Kisame-san and Itachi to handle it. Danna and I would have been better suited; we would have it done in half the time, un, but orders are orders."

That's right. I'm in a criminal organization now. I'll have to do as I'm told even if that means killing those I may have previously considered allies. I only hope I don't have to face off against any Kirigakure shinobi I'm personally familiar with. However, that is foolish of me to think that way. It's bound to happen, right, after what I did? They'll be looking for me. They'll be trying to kill me or bring me back to the village to be imprisoned for life. I bite the inside of my cheek. No, that _won't_ happen.

"Don't worry. It'll be fine if you're half as good as your report claims you can be. Besides, you did okay against me. Don't let losing get to you. Not many can win against _me_, un. Now about earlier…I don't know much about pizza, but if you want me to tie you up, then…"

_That smirk again…_I scowl at him.

"Don't mistake me for one of those blind, dim-witted girls who gets with a man that beats her into a bloody pulp and then stays with him because she _loves _him. I'm not one of those, ya know!"

"Who said anything about love? It only complicates things anyway, un."

"You're disgusting, ya know! I miss Tobi already."

"Hey, I've been a gentleman with you. I usually don't give 'em a choice. Why waste time with useless sweet talk, un?" He shrugs his shoulders and grins at me.

"A criminal who doesn't know the meaning of consensual, why am I not surprised? People like you could never be in a functional relationship."

"Ah, but you're mistaken, sweet Aya-san," he begins, tossing his hair back out of his face, "I've had several functional relationships. They are simply over after a night or two. I don't expect you to appreciate my art, un. Art is a bang; it is over in mere moments." A genuine smile comes to me at his words.

"Oh, now I see. They all left you because they weren't satisfied with your 'mere moments.' I guess I would get frustrated, too, ya know." His smile disappears and is replaced by a frown.

"Someone has got some jokes, un?"

I brush my own dark mane over my shoulder.

"Is there a reason you are still here anyway? Weren't you just supposed to give me this and tell me to meet with my f-I, uh, Kisame-sama?" _Close one, Aya._

"Now that I think about it, I was going to give you an official heartfelt apology for being so rough with you. I really was doing it to help you, un. Suppose you had fight left in you when I brought you to Leader-sama, you might have tried to fight back or say things you'd end up regretting. But the condition and spirit you were in was non-threatening. I helped you survive, but I still felt a little bad. I was going to apologize, but I changed my mind. It's really you that owes me one, un. Why should I apologize?"

"Well aren't you the most lovable egotistical bastard I've ever met. You make me sick, ya know."

He slides over to me in a flash, pinning me against the headboard of the bed. My heart begins to thump in a panic. What is he doing? There is a hazy ferocity to his eyes I had only seen once before during the time I first met his gaze after coming upon him. And just like then, my body won't do as it is told. It remains frozen in place. I find myself wishing I had an affinity for earth style chakra, so I could melt into the headboard behind me. How is it he has this affect on me? I become increasingly aware of the heat emanating from his body and the absence of space between the two of us. His golden hair tickles my cheek as he brings his lips to graze against my ear, his hot breath forming chill bumps all over my body.

"Sick, huh? I can make you feel so much more than that, un," he says through a sly grin. He raises his hand and touches my chin slightly. I swallow a lump in my throat and expect the worst, but soon he removes himself from the bed completely and starts to walk to the door. I hold back the sigh of relief in my throat in case it makes him change his mind. My body feels like it dodged a kunai aimed at my heart. Deidara stops midway to the door and my breath hitches in my throat. He looks back at me as if contemplating something and reaches into the pocket of his pants. He grabs hold of a small, hard, flat object and tosses it over at me. It lands inches in front of me on the bed. Then I realize what it is…

It's…it's…the picture of me and Mother when I was four years old. But why did Deidara have it? My possessions I brought with me, they must have been confiscated, of course. But did _my father _see this picture? If he saw it, he would figure it out, figure out I am his daughter. My eyes refused to meet Deidara's; I didn't want him to see the tormented expression on my face. I grit my teeth and clench my fists, some emotions akin to anger and sorrow flowing through me. Bad things had always plagued us, Mother. I thought becoming a ninja would change that. I was wrong.

"You're lucky I found it before anyone else saw it, un." Deidara's words cut through my thoughts and I attempt to make my expression blank and look up at him. "I found it and decided not to mention it to anyone. I kept it instead. If Leader-sama knew about that woman or anyone in the Akatsuki for that matter, they would use her against you should you fall short of our expectations."

"And would you use her against me?" I ask as calmly as I can manage, slightly relieved to know my father hadn't seen it. He sucks his teeth.

"Who knows? Perhaps I may need something from you in the future," he says with a forced smirk.

"Well, that's too bad," I say bitterly, "She's dead. So no one will be using her against me, ya know."

He grimaces and turns to face the other direction but says almost gently, "Your mother?"

I answer his question with silence.

"Well, it's better that way. Better to have nothing else to live for when you're living for the Akatsuki. Now get dressed. I'll take you to where Kisame-san is." Pushing my thoughts and emotions as far into the depths of my mind as I can, I glance over to the gear he left on the bed then back at him.

"Wait outside," I say, perhaps a little too demanding to someone capable of blowing me to bits in seconds. He doesn't refuse but sucks his teeth again and sighs before walking outside, closing the door behind him.

DEIDARA'S POV

That woman…there is much beneath the surface. Despite her tough front, there is a thick cloud of despair that clings to her that is enough to suffocate a thousand men. What was I thinking, feeling sorry for her like I did in there? She is just another woman whose purpose is to serve the Akatsuki now, nothing more, nothing less. I doubt she homed into my sympathies, though. I nearly felt bad for what I said concerning her mother, but she does not need to think I'm going to coddle her emotions. That will not shape her into the shinobi she needs to be if she is serious about making it in this life. I've done her enough favors, and the Akatsuki isn't some picnic vacation.

I sigh. I can't help but to be attracted to her physically, however. It took all my willpower to tear myself away from her in there. Maybe I should have just taken her then and there. Then she would really hate me and it would make distancing myself from her emotionally easier. My smirk returns. I can pleasure her in ways she can only dream of. That milky pale skin would glisten with sweat while I pounded sweet cries from those soft lips…Man, I really need to stay away from her before I end up doing what I'm imagining. Sex isn't the problem, it never has been for me. But the feelings I have for her are more than just lust, and that worries me. It isn't like me to care about a woman, just get what I need and get out. That's it.

"Well if it isn't the pussy, Deidara." Dear gods, the last person I want to see but one of the people I'm fated to see the most. Hidan and Kakuzu approach me from down the hallway. Hidan has a shit-eating grin on his face, but Kakuzu has the same blank stare that seems as if he is bound to slaughter someone any given second. "That bastard leader got you babysitting the new bitch?"

"What the hell do you want, Hidan?"

"Aww, did you forget already? We're supposed to bake cakes in Kuzu-chan's room today."

"Quit fucking around, Hidan. We need to make preparations for this next assignment, so we can leave. I don't want to waste time," Kakuzu intervenes in that harsh growl of his.

"C'mon, I was just chatting it up with our buddy here." I scowl at him and suck my teeth.

"I have no interest in chatting it up with you, so why don't you go bother someone else before I make you my art, un." Hidan smiles his most innocent smile.

"You know, I thought the leader would have Konan handle that chick in there since they're both women, but I guess you are, too, so you'll do just as well. Don't tell me your trying to put the moves on her, pretty boy. Wouldn't that make you a lesbian?"

"I said shut the FUCK up before I make you my art, you bastard!" I begin to make my hand signs while Hidan tightens his grip on his triple-headed scythe before a click and creaking sound behind me. The both of us temporarily halt our movements to see the aforementioned woman. Aya emerges cautiously from the bedroom, keeping her eyes glued to the three of us as she clicks the door shut behind her. She is dressed in the ninja attire I delivered her earlier. I never really thought much of the standard gear we wear, but on her, it looks nice.

"There the bitch is now," Hidan laughs. Aya narrows her gaze at him, shooting me a quick glance as well. Tch, guess I'm not on her list of favorite people, either. "This sorry excuse for a male trying to come onto you? I doubt he has what it takes to satisfy you. I can show you what kind of tools a real man packs in his arsenal."

The nerve of this fucking bastard! My thoughts slip back to what I had done moments before, and I find it hard to rationally be angry at Hidan, but…there is difference…and I just am. Aya's expression is unusually blank as she takes a few steps forward. What on earth is she doing? She's not seriously…? The moment my thoughts come together, I watch Aya send a fierce punch into Hidan's jaw, knocking him back a few feet. There is no time to be amused by the sight; Hidan's backlash will be fatal. I throw my body between them as Hidan returns with a look of rage.

"YOU FUCKING BITCH!" I push Aya back as she attempts to move in front of me. _Don't be stupid, Aya-san, you are no match for him._

"Don't you dare speak to _or _about me, you worthless bottom-feeding scum!" She struggles against me, but I stand firmly in her way as Hidan takes hold of his scythe again. This isn't good. Did this really have to happen this early in the day? I reach into the pouch on my belt and grasp a handful of detonating clay.

"You wanna go, un? Then you're gonna go against me," I say in warning.

"Sure thing, pussy boy, go ahead a blow us all up by releasing that lame ass jutsu. I'll survive. At least." My teeth gnash in annoyance.

"Try me, un."

Kakuzu moves for the first time since Hidan started his little stunt and grabs hold of Hidan's scythe.

"I said let's _go_, Hidan."

"Just a second, Kakuzu." Kakuzu pulls on the scythe in his hands.

"No, _now_." Hidan looks to Kakuzu for a moment, perhaps contemplating whether to listen to him or not, but in the end decides to turn away from the fight to my relief. He shoots a nasty glare a Kakuzu then to myself and Aya.

"You're such an annoying, cock-sucking bastard, Kakuzu. And, hey, pussy boy, you better keep a tighter hold on that bitch. I might not be so busy next time and have plenty of time to sacrifice her worthless existence to Jashin-sama." He turns and leaves with that, soon after entering Kakuzu's room where I knew he had previously constructed an exit passageway in. I wait until I hear the door click before I turn to Aya.

"You should have let me fight him, ya know!" she snaps harshly at him.

"Tch, you mean I should have let you get yourself killed, un. Don't pull some stupid stunt like that again!"

"I'm not going to be treated like trash, Deidara, and I certainly won't allow people to walk all over me. It makes one look weak, and weakness isn't good in the Akatsuki, right?"

"Nothing is going to matter if you're dead, un. Now let's go."

AYA'S POV

My blood boils at his words. _He_ would die to defend _his _honor, but I shouldn't risk everything to defend mine. Oh, that's right. It's okay because he is an Akatsuki member. To hell with them both. Every bit of me wants to tear him a new one, but I clamp down on my words for now and follow in behind him as he starts to walk. Our walk together is the most silent one I remember since meeting him…yesterday…no, the day before yesterday. It's been an emotional rollercoaster since I woke up today. I'm going to get whiplash something fierce. I hate him, I hate Hidan, I hate my father. If he would have come for my mother, she wouldn't be…wouldn't be…_Damn it!_

"Sasori no Danna, I was wondering where you've been." Well, here's another ray of sunshine in my day. Deidara comes to a halt as he comes before Sasori and pats him on the shoulder. His danna doesn't seem to be too enthused about his cheerful gesture. Not that I care. The red-head's brown eyes pierce into mine. What, he's a mind reader now? Discomfort sinks into me. Geesh, it's not polite to stare. "Oh, I am suppose to take Aya-san to Kisame-san for training. That's why she's here, un."

"I didn't ask," he says jadedly without removing his eyes from me. I take the opportunity to make things easier on myself and bow deeply to Sasori.

"Forgive me, Sasori-sama, our first meeting was not what I would have had it be. I hope that you can accept my sincerest apologies. I would very much like to be able to call you a friend and ally." He studies my movements carefully and I can only hope he buys my little act. I continue to bow as I am met with silence and I begin to think he won't reply. Finally, he does.

"The leader feels you are trustworthy, so I will trust you until you give me a reason not to. That is all. The Akatsuki members and their subordinates must maintain loyalty to the leader and the organization. I have matters to attend to."

I take that as a 'get out of my way now' statement and step aside quickly with Deidara. Deidara catches my eye as Sasori passes, and a discreet grin flashes across his face. What is that for? What the hell does he think is so funny? Having most likely made a permanent foe of that Hidan character, I figure I should at least mend relations with The Red Sand. I sure as hell don't need him as my adversary, as well. Though the Kakuzu man saved my skin, I doubt that was his motive, and he doesn't seem like the friendly type. The leader and the plant guy are scary as hell. That leaves my father, the Konan woman I haven't met, that Tobi subordinate of Zetsu, maybe Deidara, and one other…I shoot Deidara another glare before stomping ahead of him to let him know I am ready to continue. He remains in place briefly but soon begins to walk and takes his place ahead of me, muffling a soft chuckle. Let's hope the unknown member is a friendly, because I don't think I can tolerate this crazy bomber. Then again, this is an organization of the deadliest wanted criminals. What can I really hope for?

The silence makes the walk seem even longer than what it is, though I'm sure silence is preferable next to anything that might come out of Deidara's mouth. Just how big is this place? Absentmindedly, I touch the spot on my chin where his hand had been. What am I thinking? There is nothing appealing about this lunatic, but…but part of me had almost wanted him to do something back then. And the way he threw himself between me and that Hidan asshole…I shake my head violently. I must still be half asleep. No way can I trust any of these people, no way is Deidara some kind, caring shinobi, no way my father is the man my mother made him out to be. However, I need these people to trust _me_. That's all that matters. I need a purpose, and serving my father is as good as one as any now that I'm a rogue.

Faint voices begin to filter through the hallways, so I assume we're close to our destination. My body begins to tense and I repeatedly clench and unclench my fists. Deidara glances over his shoulder at me and smiles at my actions. I knit my brows and give him the evilest stare I can muster, which only makes him more amused. The time I've spent with my father so far has been brief and not on the best of terms; I hope he's serious about making me his subordinate. I hope he doesn't have some other kind of sick test planned for me when I reach him. Just let me survive this. I will probably die at a young age, anyway. All this stress can't be good for my heart. A large cavern finally comes into view as the hallway opens up. Well, large is an understatement. It is at least three times the size the one I was in before. The same light torches from the hallway circle all the way up to the ceiling. The room almost reminds me of a huge chandelier of some sort like the ones imported from overseas for the richer classes. Kind of…pretty. Two men both in their Akatsuki uniforms stand off to one side of the room next to a small table aligned with dishes. I immediately recognize the taller one as my father, but the other man is one I haven't seen before. He has long black hair that is tied back and what looks like solid black eyes. I take notice of a ring he is wearing and the dark violet color of his nails. I glance to my father's hands and then to Deidara's. So…the rings must be something all the members wear as well as the painted nails. What's up with that? Can I paint my nails, too? My father glances over to us while the other man keeps his gaze in the same direction.

"I brought her here like you asked, un," Deidara says casually, motioning to me with his hand. I remain silent as a grin spreads across my father's face. With as much as the people here smile, you would think they are all rather friendly…

"Good, good. I was just beginning to worry." Worry? He doesn't seem that worried. Deidara looks over at the other man and I swear a look of disgust passes over his face. He scratches his head and then turns to face the hallway we have just left.

"Well, if that's all, I'll be going now," he says, making his way out before gifting me with one last parting grin. Not going to stay to watch me get kicked around? I thought he might have wanted to see that. Oh well. It makes things easier, and it will give him less things to tease me about later if I make it through the day alive. I remain glued to the spot while I listen to Deidara's footsteps fade into the distance. Only when I can no longer here them does my father finally speak to me.

"Well, don't just stand there. Come have some tea with Itachi-san and me."

Tea, seriously? It takes me a few seconds before I force myself into a slow stride. A million years must pass before I finally come to stand before the two men at the table. The man called Itachi sips at a cup of tea as my father pours two more cups with the steaming liquid. He hands one to me and I grasp it clumsily, trying not to spill it. He's going to think I'm a complete idiot. Act like the kinoichi you are, Aya!

"This here is my partner, Uchiha Itachi. He hails from Konohagakure. As a jonin, surely you've heard of the tale about the incident involving the great Uchiha clan." I had heard about that. One of their clan members went rogue and slaughtered the entire clan before fleeing the village…so this is that man? There goes my hopes for him being a halfway decent criminal. Mocking my earlier actions to Sasori, I bow deeply, grasping my cup so hard I fear it might crack. "Itachi-san, this is my new subordinate, Matsura Aya. She hails from Kirigakure like myself."

"Pleasure to meet you, Itachi-sama."

"Hmm."

Not one for many words, huh? I raise my head and look back to my father.

"There is much I'd like to know about my subordinates, seeming how you are the first I have taken on personally. Background history and such. Family, training, status in the village, and whatnot." He takes a long pause, so I take that as my cue to begin. What can I possibly say? There is no way I'm going to reveal _that_ to him _now_.

"I, uh, well…there is not much to say that could really impress one such as you. I have always wanted to become a great kinoichi, so I entered into the academy and strove to be the best. I graduated the academy at eleven, became a chunin a year later, and made it to jonin soon after my fifteenth birthday two years ago. My strengths are ninjutsu and using ninja tools. I'm not far behind that in taijutsu, but I do not have much fortitude for genjutsu. My mission success rate is ninety percent. I was a respected kinoichi amongst my mentors and peers, but I still have much to learn." I'm starting to ramble. _I need to calm my nerves._

"Family?"

"None."

"No family? You raised and fended for yourself all these years? Surely someone had to have taken care of you when you were younger." I squeeze my spare fist that isn't holding the cup.

"Well, my mother was the only family I ever had, but she died. We were never wealthy, but we managed a comfortable life. Things were better when I succeeded as a ninja, but…" I sip on the tea to give me an excuse to stop.

"No father?" I cough up a bit of inhaled tea and wipe my mouth with my arm.

"Excuse me. No, I never knew him…my mother never said much…only that, he was a doctor and was injured when tending to the wounded in a battle." A lie, I know, but what choice do I have? Out of the corner of my eye, I see a flash of red within Itachi's eyes. Was that what is called the sharingan? His eyes bore into mine, so I force my eyes to my father.

"What was your mother like?"

"She…she was kind and caring. She was gentle and by no means a ninja. A stay at home mom. We lived off my father's death benefits for awhile before I started making substantial earnings as a shinobi."

"So what you're telling me is that you had a comfortable, happy, content life in Kirigakure? What then is the nature of your rebellion against it?" My heart pounds in my ears and I pray I'm the only one that can hear it. What kind of question…? How can he…? Why does anyone rebel and turn rogue? Why would a man slaughter his clan? Why would a man leave his love to never return after committing some crime when supposedly they meant the word to each other? He can't rationally ask me that when no one else here likely has a good answer for it, either. I swallow my fear and nerves that were knotting in my throat and look directly into his eyes with a deadly calm.

"Because I wanted to."

"What's that?"

"I wanted a change of scenery. After my mother's death, I needed a refresher. Life had gotten a bit glum, so I spiced it up by killing four of my fellow shinobi. But I knew I couldn't stay after I did that, so I fled the village. Thought I'd see a bit of the world and perhaps find the man I admired that had tuned rogue himself before my time. I told myself if I could find you, I would ask you to train me further in your ways. That's about it. I admit, I was foolish in my approach. I should have known I couldn't expect the great Akatsuki to accept me in without any precaution. For that I am truly regretful and you have my sincerest apologies. Now that I think about it, it must have been quite insulting, but I'm glad you have accepted me as your humble servant. I will do my best to not disappoint you." I finish with a sly smile. I had managed to keep my voice calm, casual, and almost amused during my little speech. Way to go, girl. I may have even fooled myself into thinking I am a heartless bitch. I gulp down my tea in one go and then set the cup down a bit roughly onto the table. I continue in a jaded tone, "Well then. Am I not here so that you can assess my abilities? Or would you like to know my favorite past times, as well, Kisame-sama?"

He laughs in that creepy way of his while setting his own cup down. I may have just signed my own execution warrant. He takes hold of a large sword that leans against the wall then approaches me.

"I like that spirit. You should do well. Let's get started then. We'll start by using taijutsu exclusively, then ninja tools, then ninjutsu. After that we'll combine the three and you will come at me with all you have. Itachi-san is here to help me assess your performance, but I planned on having you practice countering genjutsu today, as well, since I know from your report that you are weak against genjutsu. Other than that, he will not interfere. Are you ready? No turning back now."

I close my eyes and take a deep breath. _That I know all too well._


End file.
